Display-shelving.



No. 852.229., I PATENTED APR. 30, 190 R. T. JOYCE.

- DISPLAY SHELVING.

APPLICATION IILED 001227, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- H II I Jim l9; 57 k Jgi H 79- 3 2 WITNESSES 5 A B2-M/I/ENTOH .62, am R0 8 ERTTJJEIYEE- BY ATTORNEYS PATENTED APR. 30, 1907.

R. T. JOYGE. DISPLAY SHBLVING.

APPLICATION FILED 001227, 19Q6.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W/TNESSES I lNVENTOf? ROBERT I. JOYCE ATTOHNE rs Specification ofLetters Patent.

UNITED STATES ATEN'I OFFIQE.

ROBERT THOMAS Joyctfbitit-titties, NORTH CAROLINA.

DISPLAY-SHELVING.

Patented April 30, 1907.

Application filed October 27, 1906. Serial No. 340,847.

To all whom it may concern.-

Beitknown that I, ROBERT THOMAS J OYCE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Mount Airy, in the county of Surry and State of NorthCarolina, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Display-Shelving, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in shelving used more especially inhardware stores wherein the shelving is arranged in the form ofcompartments to hold the various articles of hardware, and has for itsobjectto provide an attachment for displaying samples of the articlescontained in each compartment and also for indicating the condition, orrather the quantity of stock on hand.

To these ends my invention consists in certain novel features ofconstruction, arrangement and combination of parts as will behereinafter fully described and pointed out in the claims, referencebeing had to the accomp anying drawing, in which Figure 1 is aperspective view showing my improvement applied to a shelf compartment.Fig; 2 is a perspective view of my improvement separable from the shelf.Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the device as in use. Fig. 4 is avertical section showing shape of top of the box. Fig. 5 is aperspective view showing the glass door hinged to swing vertically. Fig.6 shows use of two vertically swinging glass doors. Fig. 7 is ahorizontal section of form shown in Fig. 6.

In carrying out my invention the shelving is arranged in the form ofcompartments A and in front of these compartments I place the frame Athe frames containing the compartments being made up in sections usuallyabout six feet by eight feet. In this frame A for each compartment isplaced a sample display door member B consisting of a back B, sides Btop B and bottom piece B; these door members are hollow and are to heusually about two inches deep, and the back, sides and bottom rigidlysecured together by dovetailing, nailing or otherwise, while the top Bwhich is tapered or rounded off to the rear on its upper surface is tobe secured to the side pieces B by screws 1), so that it can be readilyremoved to insert the sample S which is to be pinned or otherwisesecured to the upright back wall B, the front face of which ispreferably covered with cloth or other suitable fabric 1); the removabletop iece B also permits the pane of glass C to be placed in position andremoved if desired to clean or when broken; said glass slides in groovesb made in the side pieces B and rests in horizontal grooves I) and ii-ill the top and bottom pieces B" and B. The upper surface of top pieceB has a depression b made near its front edge while above saiddepressions in the adjacent top member of the frame A is made a curvedopening A to permit the hand to enter and grip the upper front edge ofthe top piece of the door B by means of the fingers dropping into thedepressions b At the center of the bottom piece B of the door arock-shaft D is passed through the same and has a crank handle D at itsrear end, which lies in a depression I) in the back wall so as to be outof the way; to the front end of the rock-shaft D which is squared isrigidly attached an indicator arm D which is preferably colored red tomore quickly attract attention; the indicator 'arm D lies immediately inthe rear of the glass C and normally lies in a horizontal position in agroove 1) .in the bottom piece B, that is, when the quantity of thearticles in the compartments of the shelves is such that it does notneed replenishing the indicator arm is permitted to remain down and outof sight; when however the stock in any particular compart ment runslow, the indicator arm is to'be thrown up to a vertical position bymeans of the rock-shaft D, and will in that position indicate to theclerk that more stock is needed.

The rear portion of the door 13 is made heavier than the front and thefront being hinged to the frame, preferably at the lower front edge ofthe bottom piece B, it will be seen that the door when swung upward toits closed position will remain closed without the necessity of usingany latches or other fastenings.

Asthe samples in each door will correspond with the articles contained.in the compartment in the rear of the door, the customer can at oncesee the goods without compelling the clerk to open the door and get outthe articles. If the customer desires any particular goods he can makehis selection, and the clerk by simply pulling down the door has accessto the goods and can readily remove them; thc door can then be swung upagain into position and will remain there without requiring the clerk tofasten the same. It will thus be seen that I provide a simple andefficient means of displaying the goods in stock at a minimum of timeand labor, and

that my improvements can be installed at a comparatively small cost.

I may swing the door member vertically I as shown in Fig. 5 and ifdesired this member may be divided vertically into two such verticallyhinged members, as indicated in Figs. 6 and 7 where it may be found moreconvenient to arrange the improvements in this manner.

I claim 1. As an improvement in shelving, the combination with an openfront compartment, of a frame adapted to be placed in front of saidcompartment and form a closure for the same, a hollow display doorhinged to said frame, said hollow display door having bottom, side andtop walls and a glass front, the rear portion of said hollow displaydoor being heavier than the front portion thereof.

2. An improvement in shelving consisting of an 0 en frame adapted to beplaced in front 0 a compartment, a hollow display door hinged to fitwithin said frame, said door having bottom, side and top walls and aglass front, the top wall being detachable and sloping downwardly to therear.

3. An improvement in shelving consisting of an open frame adapted to beplaced in front of a compartment, and a hollow display door hinged atits lower end to fit within said frame, and having bottom, side and topwalls, and a glass front held in said walls, the upper face of the topwall havinga depression therein, and the front face of the top of theframe having a cut out portion adjacent to said depression.

ROBERT THOMAS JOYCE.

Witnesses:

F. L. SMITH, R. N. PAYNE.

